Republicans apologize for dirty politics in South Dakota.
GOP issues apology for vote-fraud mailing
By DAVID KRANZ
Argus Leader
published: 11/02/2002
The Republican National Committee is apologizing for dramatizing a direct-mail piece on voter fraud by using a headline from a story that didn’t relate to the subject.
Democrats have charged the mailer was full of inaccuracies and another attempt to sensationalize voter irregularities in and around Native American reservations. Those irregularities have led to criminal charges and could result in more.
The mailer, sent to Republicans around the state, proclaimed, “Tim Johnson and the Democrats are hiding the truth about voter fraud.”
That suggestion is absurd, said Dan Pfeiffer, Johnson’s communications director.
“Attorney General Mark Barnett cannot be more clear that Tim Johnson or the Democratic Party are not involved in the situation, and John Thune and the Republican Party want nothing more than to use this issue to suppress the Native American vote,” Pfeiffer said. But Thune press secretary Rob Collins says Johnson has some explaining to do.
“Senator Johnson has yet to be forthcoming and accept the responsibility of helping clean up this issue,” Collins said.
Johnson is being challenged for re-election by Rep. John Thune in Tuesday’s general election. The race could decide who controls the U.S. Senate in the 108th Congress.
To illustrate their message in the direct-mail piece, Republicans used front-page headlines from four newspapers.
One from the Rapid City Journal proclaimed: “A Violation of Trust.”
But the story wasn’t about voter fraud. It was an accounting of embezzlement in Pennington County.
“We regret that one of the four (newspaper headlines) was included by mistake and should not have been included,” said Mindy Tucker, communications director for the Republican National Committee.
State Democrats said it was a willful attempt to mislead and exaggerate the issue.
“This is a despicable smear tactic from a campaign that is clearly desperate. John Thune should be ashamed of himself for allowing this to happen,” Pfeiffer said.
Not so, says Collins.
“I am not sure how Democrats work, but Republicans do not coordinate our mail. And to blame John Thune is inaccurate and a misinterpretation of the law. I will let the RNC stand by their piece and won’t speak for them,” Collins said.
Pfeiffer also was critical of a reference in the mailer about a “Democrat operative” being under investigation by government authorities for fraud and falsifying records.
Tucker said they are not backing away from that reference, because the two people who have been identified in the probe collected money for the state Democratic Party.
Becky Red-Earth Villeda of Flandreau is facing possible charges for her action as a contract employee with the Democratic Party. Lyle Nichols of Rapid City has been charged with forgery, but Pennington County sheriff’s officials say his alleged wrongdoing did not occur when he was working for the Democratic Party.
Barnett did not return phone calls about the voter-fraud case but issued a press release that said Red Earth-Villeda will be charged in Minnehaha County on multiple counts of forgery.
“Voters should proceed as normal and go to the polls on the fifth,” Barnett said.
Barnett’s office has 30 division of criminal investigation agents working on the case. They’ve interviewed more than 400 people in 25 counties and spoke with Red Earth-Villeda on Tuesday.
Sarah Feinberg, spokesman for the South Dakota Democratic Party and the Coordinated Campaign, said the Democratic Party’s goal is to see that all people get the chance to vote. Republicans seem to want to suppress the Native American vote, she said.
“We’re incredibly proud of our Native American effort and the fact that we have offices on every reservation,” she said. “We’ve wanted this to be addressed and come to a close as quickly as possible.”
Barnett originally said he hoped to have the investigation finished before election day.
Kea Warne, state election supervisor, said those with questions about their voting status should talk to their county auditor.
“We want to give every registered voter a chance to cast their ballot and not turn anyone away from the polls,” she said.
Reach reporter David Kranz at dkranz@argusleader.com or 331-2302. Reporter Brenda Wade Schmidt contributed to this article. |
